Vincent Frank
Of the top NBA head coach candidates out there right now, Doc Rivers has the must sustained track record of success.
Rivers, 61, was fired by the Philadelphia 76ers after a third consecutive second-round exit in the NBA Playoffs. While his final season ended in premature fashion and there are concerns over Rivers-led squads in the playoffs, he’s seemingly a valuable commodity.
According to this note from Joe Vardon of The Athletic, two NBA title contenders who just fired their head coaches are indeed interested in Rivers. That includes the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.
Phoenix fired Monty Williams after a four-year run with the team saw him post a 194-115 record. Unfortunately, a second consecutive exit in the Western Conference Semifinals following the acquisition of Kevin Durant doomed his stay in the desert.
Vardon points to the unpredictability of the situation in Phoenix under new owner Mat Ishbia as one of the reasons the Suns might have interest in Doc Rivers. Certainly, Durant and fellow star Devin Booker will play roles in the decision-making process.
Less than two calendar years after leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA title over the aforementioned Suns, Mike Budenholzer was fired by the organization. That came after an embarrassing first-round loss to the No. 8 seed Miami Heat in the NBA Playoffs. The Bucks are currently being linked to candidates with both experience and a lack of experience.
Related: Doc Rivers and the top NBA head coach candidates
Does Doc Rivers make sense for an NBA title contender?
Rivers’ regular-season success can’t be denied. Dating back to his first stint as the Orlando Magic head coach back in 1999-2000, Rivers-led teams have made 19 playoff appearances in 24 seasons. He’s led nine 50-win teams with five earning more than 55 victories.
With that said, teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns are not necessarily concerned about regular-season success. It’s all about turning it up once the playoffs start.
That’s where Rivers has struggled throughout his career:
Doc Rivers coaching record (NBA Playoffs): 111-104 (.516 winning %)
Compare that to a .593 winning percentage during the regular season, and this seems to be a trend more than anything else.
Since leading the Boston Celtics to the NBA title back in 2008, Rivers has made just one appearance in the conference finals in 12 playoffs trips.
That type of performance would be seen as a disappointment for the current iteration of the Bucks and Suns, leading us to believe that any real interest in Rivers is somewhat muted despite the aforementioned report.
